A hospital system in New Jersey fired half a dozen of its workers for refusing to get vaccinated against the Chinese coronavirus.

RWJBarnabas Health, the Garden State’s largest healthcare system, terminated the employment of six people described as “senior employees,” attributing it to “an ethical and professional responsibility to protect our patients and ensure a safe, COVID-19-free environment.”

In May, the healthcare system announced it would require all team members at the supervisory level and beyond to be vaccinated “with the anticipation that it will eventually be required for all staff.”

Team members at the supervisory level had until June 30 to receive their shots.

“As healthcare workers and as team members committed to providing a culture of safety, we have an obligation to do all we can to protect our patients and the communities we serve,” Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and chief executive officer for RWJBarnabas Health, said in a statement at the time.